


When You Walk On By (Will You Call My Name?)

by getyourfaceoutofmyface



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Athlete Robert, M/M, Punk Aaron, The Breakfast Club Au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-07-14 05:56:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16034372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/getyourfaceoutofmyface/pseuds/getyourfaceoutofmyface
Summary: A brain, a jock, a thug, a princess and a punk. Saturday detention. Enough said.





	When You Walk On By (Will You Call My Name?)

Robert slammed the door of his truck and flipped up the collar of his jacket against the chill. The only good thing about being sentenced to Saturday detention was the fact it got him out of farm chores. Didn’t matter that his father was disappointed in him once again. At this point disappointing his father was the only thing Robert was good at besides footy. 

He made his way inside, finding the quiet of the hallways a little eerie. He entered the library, not really at all surprised at the other participants in the days festivities. 

Chrissie was sitting at a table alone, filing her nails and popping her gum. She looked up at Robert and winked at him. They weren’t friends per se, didn’t run with the same crowd but they’d partied together a few times. She could be annoying but she was human. Ross Barton was sitting on a table, carving something into the top with his knife. Robert rolled his eyes and noticed his younger brother Finn a few tables over. These brothers were a mystery and complete opposites. One lived with their mother and the other with their father. Robert assumed this explained their bizarre differences. Sure him and Andy didn’t mesh but they weren’t really brothers were they?

He glanced around until he noticed a pair of beat up black trainers peeking out one end of a table. Robert bent down to get a better look. There was Aaron, laying on his back under the table, arms folded on his stomach and his eyes closed. His hair was it’s usual spiky mess and Robert could make out the black eyeliner smudged around his eyes. 

He signed. Robert didn’t know how he’d ended up here. He should have known better. If he just kept his nose clean, stuck to his practices and listened to his coach he would get out of this fucking village and away from his father. He’d show him Robert could be something. That there was more to life than crop rotations and animal husbandry. 

“Hey! Everyone’s arse in the chairs. Now.”

Robert grabbed the first chair he saw and flopped in it. Ross made a show of slowly sliding off the table into his own chair. Robert could hear the shuffle of Aaron behind him but didn’t dare look. 

Vice Principal Eden was glaring at them, clearly his own brand of intimidation. It fell flat, just like anything else he tried to do at this school. HIs pants were too small and his sweater vest too big, he was the classic teacher joke. 

“Right. So none of us want to be here today. So just stay here, stay out of trouble. I’ll be coming to check on you periodically. Don’t make my life more difficult than it already is.”

With that he walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

At this point they all just looked at each other. Chrissie continued filing her nails, Finn buried his nose back in his book, Ross tipped back in his chair and Robert dropped his head on the table. This day was already painful and he had another seven hours to go.

**********

For the first little while they all ignored each other, enjoyed the quiet until the silence was broken by bad boy, Ross “Give Me All The Attention My Mummy Doesn’t ” Barton.

“So what are all you losers in here for?”

“Please, I have never been a loser,” Chrissie rolled her eyes again, looking at Robert in solidarity.

“Okay let me guess. Chrissie you got caught giving the janitor a blow job in the maintence closet?”

“Fuck off Barton.”

Robert hadn’t meant to come to Chrissie’s defence but God he hated Ross so much.

“What Sugden? Jealous it wasn’t you? Or wait, you’re into blokes this week aren’t you?”

“Ross don’t.”

Everyone swung to look at Finn, forgetting he was even there to begin with.

“What Finn? At least you’re gay. I mean pick one right. Gay. Straight. Bisexual is such a joke. You’re just selfish and want it all for yourself.”

“You’re just jealous because you can’t get sex from anyone, male or female.”

Chrissie laughed at her own joke and Robert slid his eyes to look at Aaron. He was just sitting there with his arms crossed, head tilted back to stare up at the ceiling.

“What about you Dingle? Did you murder someone in the bathroom? Some sort of blood sacrifice?”

It was the same shit said about Aaron all the time. He wore all black, smudged eyeliner around his bright blue eyes. With his dark gelled hair and stubble, which shouldn’t be possible at 17, Aaron Dingle looked punk and goth and a little crazy. Robert always noticed him when he was out on the pitch doing drills. Aaron was usually sitting there, alone or with a few of his friends, in the stands. Smoking cigarettes, drinking beer, never trying to conceal that he was breaking rules. Robert wanted to join them sometimes, because he couldn't remember the last time he’d had fun. Aaron always looked like he was being himself and having a good time.

Aaron ignored Barton’s comment and continued looking at the ceiling. Clearly annoyed he wasn’t getting the reaction he wanted out of anyone, Ross turned his venom back to Robert.

“What about you Sugden?”

Robert shrugged his shoulders.

“Got into a fight didn’t I?”

He saw Aaron tip forward in his chair then, could feel the blue eyes peering into him, through him.

“You got into a fight? Off the field? Did someone make fun of your boyfriend?”

Robert just sneered at him, because he didn’t have a boyfriend. Or a girlfriend. He was single, he liked it that way. Well until recently. Until….

“Barton seriously, why don’t you just do one?”

Everyone turned to Aaron, many of them probably hearing his voice for the first time. He was more of a grunter in class. Using scowls and sneers to communicate his disgust with everyone. But Robert had seen him laugh, seen him smile as Robert ran down the field past him. He knew what that smile could do.

“Oh...wait. Are you two…”

He swiveled between them, wide eyed and pointed at Aaron and Robert. Robert opened his mouth but Aaron beat him to it.

“Like I’d ever take jock dick.”

Robert tried to ignore the sting of Aaron’s words as Ross laughed.

**********

Once Ross got bored torturing them all he went wandering the stacks, Robert could hear his mangled version of “White Wedding” as he knocked books off the shelves. Chrissie looked up from the magazine she was flipping through and looked at Robert.

“You didn’t really get into a fight, did you?”

Robert could feel all their eyes on him but especially Aaron’s, always Aaron’s.

“Yeah, with Joe Tate.”

“But he’s like your mate isn’t he?”

Robert looked at Aaron out of the corner of his eye. Even Robert could tell Aaron was waiting for his answer.

“He used to be.”

Because Joe and him were teammates, had been since they were barely able to kick the ball around. Joe and Robert had a tentative friendship, more competitive than anything else. But Robert knew how to deal with him and when to walk away.

“What did he do? I heard he’s hooking up with Debbie Dingle. Did you two have a thing?”

“Me and Debbie or me and Joe?”

Chrissie just waved her hand, “Whichever.”

Robert was going to respond when the library door banged open.

“Hey. Are you all alive in here?”

But Eden just scanned the room and then banged out again. Ross emerged from the back.

“Just so you guys know we can leave after lunch. He’s having a pint right now and by noon he’ll be passed out at his desk.”

“But, we’ll get in trouble.”

Ross looked at his brother.

“What’s he going to say? I was piss drunk in my office so I didn’t see them leave? Please. I’m always out of here by noon during all day detention. Easiest time you’ll ever do.”

The simple fact that Ross compared detention to actual prison time was not lost on Robert. Soon everyone started pulling out their lunches. I mean they’d barely been their two hours but with boredom came hunger. Robert’s mom had packed him some sandwiches made from last night’s leftover chicken. He could still hear his dad’s voice ringing in his ears.

“There’s no point in feeding him Sarah, why give him strength to cause more trouble in our lives?”

Chrissie was eating something with actual silverware and Finn was unwrapping a plain sandwich. Robert heard crunching and looked behind him. Aaron was sitting with a stack of four pieces of toast in front of him. Cold and slightly burnt toast. Chrissie wrinkled her nose. Aaron just kept crunching away, licking the crumbs from his lips every so often. It was such an Aaron thing to do. He just did whatever he wanted, who gave two shits what anyone else thought? Robert had always admired that about him.

Robert just kept watching him, he could tell it made Aaron uncomfortable but they hadn’t talked since the day before. Not since Robert had Joe’s blood on his knuckles and he’d caused that pained look in Aaron’s eyes. Robert saw his moment when Aaron pushed back from his table and headed to the stacks behind him.

Chrissie was still reading her endless magazine, Ross and Finn were fighting over the remains of Finn’s lunch. Robert got up quickly, making like he was throwing out his trash in the corner and then went in search of Aaron. 

He found him leaning against the stacks flipping through a large book on what appeared to be about the migration patterns of birds. When Aaron looked up and saw Robert standing there he froze, blue radiating against the black cole around his eyes.

“Aaron.”

“What do you want Robert?”

“To apologize.”

Aaron stiffened even more, if that was possible, turning to slide the book back into place.

“Why? What did you do?”

God why did Aaron have to be like this? Like nothing ever affected him? Robert knew that wasn’t true, he’d seen those eyes darken. Seen the pink in his cheeks. He knew Aaron wasn’t immune.

“You know what…”

“Just a piece of rough right?”

“Aaron that’s not what I meant.”

Aaron looked like he was going to say something, maybe let Robert explain, when a voice boomed from the front.

“Hey idiots, stop making out and get up here. I got a surprise.”

Aaron shoved past him and Robert cursed Ross Barton for the tenth time that day.

**********

Their surprise was a rolled joint and a shit eating grin on Ross’s face. Robert was going to protest but Aaron shrugged and pulled a lighter out of his pocket. Chrissie clapped her hands and the next thing Robert knew he had the thing in his fingers. He’d smoked once before, not that long ago to be honest. He was going to pass it back to Ross when he caught Aaron’s smirk. You know what Aaron, fuck you. Robert took the hit and was able to prevent the cough that was aching to force the smoke from his lungs. He passed the joint to Aaron who took it like a pro, even blowing out a few smoke circles.

A little while later they were sitting on top of the tables. Finn had a sloppy smile on his face.  
Chrissie looked like she was thinking hard about something. Ross still looked bored. Aaron just looked, well Robert thought he looked sad. Like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Robert wanted to help him, distract him.

“So Finn why are you in here?”

“Leave him alone!”

Robert held his hands up at Ross in surrender.

“Ross shut up, he’s just asking. I don’t need you to fight my battles for me.”

Finn folded his legs under himself on the table and shrugged his shoulders.

“I may have written a strongly worded letter to Mr Fayden.”

Chrissie perked up at that, always down for drama.

“The mechanics teacher? Why?”

“He gave me a C on my rebuilt carburetor. Which is unacceptable.”

Aaron chuckled at that, and Robert smiled at him. He stopped laughing immediately and it made Robert’s chest hurt. If he could just go back to when it was the two of them; that few seconds in their own bubble.

“Boring. I called Katie Price a slag in the middle of Lit class. She said my lipstick looked cheap. Please, it’s Chanel.”

Ross burst out laughing and Robert couldn’t help but join in. Katie was his brother’s girlfriend and he couldn’t stand either of them. They looked their noses down at him because he wanted more than Emmerdale one day. Why was that so wrong? So what if he wanted to be himself, be whoever made him happy. He snuck a glance at Aaron again. Why couldn’t he just be with whoever made him happy.

Chrissie turned to Aaron then.

“So Aaron, why are you here? I mean you’re rarely at school, how could you get detention?”

Aaron leaned back on his arms, swinging his legs over the edge of the desk. Robert just watched him, they all did, waiting for his response.

“Didn’t have anywhere else to be did I?”

Ross scoffed at him.

“Cop out. Everyone knows I got 3 months of Saturday detention for keying cars in the lot. I mean come on, we’ve all shared.”

Aaron shrugged again. He wasn’t biting. He hopped down from his table and headed for a window in the back. He opened it up, lit a smoke and started blowing the stream out into the cold. Ross seemed to like that idea and went to join him. Chrissie started pulling makeup out of her bag, and Finn, once again, went back to his book. Robert laid down on his table and let his mind take him back, to barely 18 hours ago, when everything was so much simpler.

**********

Aaron was there again, sitting on the stands, cigarette dangling from his fingers, smoke curling around his face. Robert shouldn’t find him so damn intoxicating but he did. Whenever Robert came out to run drills, either with the team or on his own, Aaron always seemed to be there. Sometimes he never looked in Robert’s direction. Sometimes he’d glance over and catch Robert looking at him. Sometimes Robert could feel Aaron’s eyes piercing him as he ran up the field, making the hair on his arms stand up.

Aaron had only moved to Emmerdale a few months ago. He wasn’t like anything anyone around here had seen before. Emmerdale was farm boys, girls who wore too much makeup, the occasional meathead, athlete and prep. But a punk? Like an honest to God dressed in black, wore eyeliner, safety pins on his jumper, fuck the establishment punk? Never. 

Robert liked him instantly, especially when he found out he was a Dingle. His Dad hated the Dingles. Anything Jack Sugden hated Robert Sugden made sure to enjoy at every opportunity. Aaron lived in the pub, which made him even more mysterious; he had access to alcohol. At least more so than any of the rest of them.

Rumour was he’d come from London because his Dad kicked him out for stealing or starting fights, or starting fires. Someone said he got a girl pregnant so they shipped him here as punishment. The rumours around him swirled, and became a tornado when Katie had seen Aaron in Hotten locking lips with another bloke at the underage disco. Robert had felt the fuzz in his stomach when he’d heard that. Part anticipation, part fear. It was one thing to say you were bisexual, but he’d never actually kissed another boy before.

But they’d had months of longing glances, whether across the field, across Main Street or across the hallway. It was bound to come to something, at some point. Robert was certain of it. One of them just had to make the move.

Robert hadn’t even been up for five minutes that morning before his Dad was on his case, angry that he had footy practice after school, angry that he wasn’t helping more on the farm. Angry that Rob existed to begin with. His mother had just smiled at him sadly, and he didn’t blame her for not getting involved. It never did help.

So he played hard at practice, venting all his frustrations out on the field. Joe got a little pissed at him because he wouldn’t pass, just got the ball and headed for goal. The team cheered for him, the coach shouted instructions and Aaron, he just gazed at him from the stands. 

Maybe it was the adrenaline of his playing, maybe he was just tired of the wanting but as he walked off the field he locked eyes with Aaron. He tilted his head, a clear indication that he wanted to be followed. He walked to the side of the school, near the entrance to the locker room, leaned against the brick. Waited. Hoped.

Aaron strolled over, lips pursed in question but his eyes, blue and bright, Robert could see the excitement in them. Aaron only made it two steps before Robert grabbed him by his black hooded jumper, slamming their mouths together. It wasn’t finessed or soft, it was a slight clash of teeth and their noses knocked together. Then Aaron moved his hands to Robert’s waist, angled his head slightly and slipped his tongue into Robert’s mouth. Next thing Robert knew he had Aaron pressed again the rough wall, his palms filled with scruffy cheeks. 

He was finally kissing a boy, a man, Aaron. It was better than he’d ever imagined it could be and he’d imagined it a lot. Aaron’s lips were soft but his mouth was all heat and smoke. The press of Aaron’s fingers was like fire through his uniform.

Aaron pulled back to catch his breath and they just stared at each other. Robert could feel Aaron’s excitement against his leg, wanted to push his into Aaron’s thigh. Aaron smiled at him, the first one Robert had ever witnessed up close on that gorgeous face. He wanted to kiss him again. He moved to do so but then heard the clatter of his teammates as they headed to the locker room.

“Give me 20 minutes? Meet me at my truck?”

Robert didn’t know what exactly he was asking for, he just knew he wanted to feel what Aaron made him feel over and over again. Free. Happy. Good enough.

Aaron nodded his head in agreement and Robert slipped from his arms. He raced to the locker room, avoiding the rest of the lads and taking the quickest shower known to man. He’d toweled off and was getting dressed, excitement flowing through him. 

“Hey Sugden, saw you with your lover boy out there.”

Everyone stopped what they were doing then, silence rang through the room. Joe was chuckling at his own joke, not that he’d said anything funny. Robert ignored him and pulled his shirt over his head.

“Oh come on Rob, we all know you like a bit of rough.”

“What’s your point Joe?”

Robert slung his bag over his shoulder, Aaron was waiting and he could care less about Joe’s need for a pissing contest right now.

“Well just surprised you’d go for him that’s all, I mean rough is one thing, crazy is another.”

Robert headed for the door, pushed it open as he turned to Joe.

“Well Joe, everyone likes a taste of the Dingle brand of rough every now and then. It’s an Emmerdale right of passage. You should know right? You planning on taking Debbie home to meet the family? I doubt it mate.”

It felt good, putting Joe in his place. He turned back towards the door and looked up. Stopped dead in his tracks. Aaron’s eyes glaring into him as he stood across from the door. He must have heard everything and Robert’s stomach dropped.

“Aaron, I didn’t…”

But Aaron was already walking away, throwing him the two finger salute over his shoulder. Robert was going to go after him, explain what he’d meant, when he heard Joe behind him.

“Love story over already? Don’t worry mate, you can do better.”

And Robert just snapped. It took three of his teammates to pull him off Joe, who got off easy with a split lip and a black eye. The coach sat them down, but both boys refused to talk about it. Still Robert was the star player and their coach needed him to play next week. So Robert got off with one Saturday detention and a stern look.

That night his Dad screamed at him over and over, the same insults that always bounced off Robert’s thick skin. But the look on Aaron’s face, that he couldn’t get out of his head.

**********

“Do they hurt?”

Chrissie’s voice broke Robert out of his thoughts. She was looking at the knuckles on his right hand, split and red from Joe’s face. Robert just shook his head in reply. Sure they ached but he’d had worse. Chrissie went back to applying more colour on her eyelids, bright blue. Robert turned to where Aaron was, making small talk with Ross as the smoke blew out the open window.

Robert looked at the clock and saw the time was 11:45. He had only minutes left. Aaron was stuck with him right now, but he wasn’t going to get this chance again. He wanted to explain that he hadn't meant what he’d said. He didn’t feel that way about the Dingles. He wasn’t his father. He’d never be his father.

Robert didn’t think Aaron was scary or crazy. He thought he was unique, special. Finally a breath of fresh air in the stale dank that was Emmerdale and Robert’s life. But how could he make him listen, make him understand? He looked back at Chrissie, at her bag of cosmetics and was struck with an idea. It was a long shot, but it could work.

“Hey Chrissie, could you do me a favor?”

**********

Chrissie had pulled him to the back of the stacks, giddy at the prospect of her project.

“I am telling all the girls you let me do this okay, like I have to.”

“Yeah yeah, I don’t care. Just hurry up.”

“Robert do you want this to look good or not?”

He sighed. God he hoped this was the right move. Monday morning this would be all over school. Chrissie White was nothing if not a gossip. It’d be worth it though, if it showed Aaron everything Robert needed it to.

Chrissie smiled.

“All done. It’s a good look on you. Makes your eyes pop.”

He took a deep breath when he heard Ross shout.

“Eden’s out like a light. FREEDOM LOSERS!”

Robert headed back to the tables. Ross noticed right away and just stared at him open mouthed, speechless. Finn turned to look and a small smile spread on his face. 

“I do good work boys, never doubt it.”

Chrissie patted Robert’s back as she scooted past him. 

Robert didn’t notice any of that though, because he only had eyes for Aaron. Aaron who was looking at him in confusion, trying to register the sight in front of him. Robert Sugden, the school’s star athlete and golden boy, with eyes ringed in heavy black and smudged eyeliner. 

Finn grabbed Ross and hauled him out, using strength Ross didn’t know his brother possessed. Chrissie gathered her stuff and looked between the boys. She clearly wanted to stay and see the drama go down firsthand but it was too romantic to intrude. She just hoped a guy would do something like that for her one day.

So it was Aaron and Robert, alone in the library, staying when they both could simply just leave.

Aaron smiled softly and Robert’s stomach did a small backflip.

“I let the air out of Joe’s tires.”

Of all the things Robert hoped Aaron would say he’d not banked on that.

“You what?”

“I let the air out of Joe Tate’s tires. I didn’t say anything earlier because, well I didn’t want you to know that I….”

“Cared?”

Aaron nodded slowly.

“I heard what happened between the two of you. It made me wonder.”

Robert moved towards Aaron slowly, his hands reaching out slightly.

“I was winding him up Aaron. It was a stupid thing to say but he was on my back about you. I just wanted to rile him up about Debbie. I don’t think that about your family. About you.”

Aaron just chewed on his lip, let Robert get closer and closer until Robert had his hands on Aaron’s waist.

“I don’t care what anyone in this town thinks. I don’t care what anyone thinks period. Please let me make it up to you.”

Aaron looked into his eyes then, rested his hand on Robert’s forearms.

“Give me a ride home?”

Robert let out the breath he’d been holding.

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

Aaron pulled away, grasping Robert’s hand and tugging him towards the door with a smile.

“Come on, let me show you what a real punk can do.”


End file.
